Stages of the Heart
Author: Jo Goodman
Rating: ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2
Release Date: 05 May 2020

Review Copy Provided via Publisher and Edelweiss

Description:
Experience has taught Laurel to be suspicious of the men who pass through Morrison Station. She’s been running the lucrative operation that connects Colorado’s small frontier town of Falls Hollow with the stagecoach line since she inherited it from her father, and she’s not about to let some wandering cowboy take over the reins. But newcomer McCall Landry isn’t just any gunslinger. He seems to genuinely care for Laurel, and with his rugged good looks and mysterious past, he could be the one man to finally tempt her off track…

Call Landry doesn’t expect much from Falls Hollow. He doesn’t expect much from anything anymore. But Laurel Morrison took him by surprise when she put in a good word for him, a virtual stranger, after the stagecoach was robbed–and she keeps taking him by surprise. Charmed by her clever wit and fierce loyalty, Call finds himself falling hard. Now all he has to do is convince her he means to stay–in her bed, in her life, and in her heart.

Review
I feel like Jo Goodman is an author I should have read more of – but when i go and look at my goodreads shelves, i’ve only read one book by her with 2 more shelved. Yet, when i started reading Stages of the Heart I felt like i was falling into a comfort zone. American Historicals seem to be a sub-genre in romance that has (while not necessarily fallen out of favor) but just not as popular recently (or at least so i’ve noticed). Stages of the Heart takes post-Civil War US and mixes in an independant (and sometimes fiesty) female, a war veteran and a mystery.

I thought overall the mystery was probably the better part of the plot – the romance (at times) felt kind of forces and just ah ha – i don’t know if i completely bought it. Not saying that it was bad – it just felt a bit lacking at times. I liked how Ms. Goodman developed the mystery plot line and while I had an inkling of who i thought the culprit was, it didn’t spoil the reveal towards the end. The character of characters (namely Laurel’s ranch hands – the old man names Rooster and the twins) were a needed comic relief at times. Honestly, i would love to see a short story or 2 about them – maybe the twins down the road – just musing out loud.

Anyways, a solid historical romance with mystery – definately heavier on the mystery if you look those kind of plots (like I do). Overall, 3.5 stars.